DAVID Cameron was yesterday put on notice by voters that he must get a grip over Europe or lose power, as he prepares for crunch Brussels talks.

Conservative MP David Davis appearing on BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show []

The warning comes after a poll last night showed that 56 per cent would vote to quit the EU if given the chance in a referendum.

It is a massive endorsement of the Daily Express crusade to get Britain out of the European Union.

Senior Tory David Davis yesterday raised the stakes by urging Mr Cameron to commit to a double referendum on our relationship with Brussels.

He called for the referendum pledge to be enshrined in law because the public are sick of being “lied to” and simply would not trust another promise from the Prime Minister.

The former Tory leadership contender is expected in a speech today to warn that failing to address Europe could be a gift to anti-Brussels party Ukip.

Last week Ukip celebrated its best by-election result, coming a strong third ahead of the Lib Dems in Corby, plus a solid performance in Police and Crime Commissioner elections, though it did not win any of the 41 posts.

“We have got to, somehow, dramatically change our relationship with Europe. Not a little bit of a power here and a little bit of a power there

David Davis

Also today, Labour leader Ed Miliband will wade into the debate, warning that under a weak PM Britain is in danger of “sleepwalking” towards an EU exit.

In comments that will disappoint some in his own party but console Tories who fear Labour will outflank them, he said yesterday that he did not favour a referendum.

This week Mr Cameron faces crucial talks with fellow European leaders on a new EU budget. He has threatened to veto any inflation-busting rise but many of his MPs are insisting he secures a cut or face another Commons defeat.

Yesterday the scale of disillusionment with the EU was exposed by an Opinium poll showing 56 per cent could vote to leave in a referendum. Of that, 34 per cent said they would definitely vote to leave and 22 per cent said they may do.

Up to 68 per cent of Tory voters, 44 per cent Labour and 39 per cent of Lib Dems said they could vote to quit.

A separate ComRes survey found 58 per cent think Britain should leave if it does not get enough powers back from Brussels, while 43 per cent said they wanted to get out of the EU anyway.

A quarter of Tory voters said they were considering voting for Ukip.

Former Europe minister Mr Davis yesterday called for a referendum within a year to approve a list of powers the UK would try to get back from Brussels.

After the renegotiation, a second vote would then invite the public to choose between the new package and leaving.

He told BBC1’s Andrew Marr show: “We have got to, somehow, dramatically change our relationship with Europe. Not a little bit of a power here and a little bit of a power there.”

The referendum must be made law, he insisted, because “nobody believes it, and why should they” when politicians promise a vote at some stage.

“The British public have been promised a referendum by the three major parties and every single one has not delivered. And so they feel – the public –that they’ve been lied to.”

Conservative party chairman Grant Shapps said it was critical to get the relationship with Europe right. But the coalition with pro-EU Lib Dems has made it impossible to return powers before the election.

Tories stressed Mr Cameron had signalled there would be a referendum on a “fresh settlement” and laws passed to ensure powers no new powers could go to Brussels without a referendum.

In his speech to business leaders today Mr Miliband will urge pro-Europeans to stop turning a “blind eye” to the EU’s failings and make the case for reform.

He will warn that rising public scepticism and calls from MPs and ministers to leave have raised expectations among EU allies that Britain will walk out.

He is expected to say: “Those of us, like me, who passionately believe that Britain is stronger in the EU cannot be silent. I will not allow our country to sleepwalk towards exit because it would be a betrayal of our national interest.”